Is. Lunar (AW18)

Lunar Island ( جزيرة لون ) is a small crescent-shaped landmass found off the western coast of France which has been inhabited by the Al-Habibi family since the late 7th Century AD. The island was conquered* in the early Arab expansion by the revered Bilal Al-Habibi who quickly named himself lord of the manor and erected the Island Fortress as the furthest outpost of the Arab empire.

Generations of Al-Habibis laboured to keep their kingdom a secret after the fall of the Arab empire in an effort to avoid being retaken by the French government. Methods were often rather unusual; there are reports of buildings camouflaged with elaborate botanic arrangements to hide them from passing boats. A more plausible explanation for the island’s concealment however is its location and minuscule size — too small to be recorded on early maps and far from shipping routes and popular fishing spots.

The present day lord and lady, Habibi Al-Habibi III and his wife Talah, are taking a different approach, inviting the outside world into their hidden (and, some say, derelict) residence. Rich in history but poor in everything else, the couple are now turning their home into a wellness retreat. The photos below are taken from a piece inTOSHmagazine, entitled "Meet the Young Lord and Lady of an Ancient Arab Island off the Coast of France".

*no official maps of the Arab world show any record of Lunar Island’s existence and there is widespread doubt among historians that it was ever conquered. The Al-Habibi family tree appears to show that several members of the family lived to mythical ages (over 200 years in the case of Bilal) on the island, however consensus amongst scholars is that Lunar Island was actually bought sometime in the 19th Century directly from the French government in exchange for 40 date palms.